his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth his sins shall find mercy.' The penitent uprightly says-' Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.' His secret sins he confesses only unto God, who seeth in secret. He dwells on their aggravations. He enumerates them before God, and mourns over them apart. If he has openly and frequently sinned, and thus given positive offence to the Church of God, he makes open confession. Thus does he seek to honour God, and to check, as far as possible, the baneful influence of his public transgressions.

'He that con

"Besides, in repentance there is a forsaking of all known sin, and a walking with God in newness of life. fesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy.' The sin loved is given up. If injury has been done to others in their property, or reputation, or connexions, he will do what he can to make reparation to them. These are works meet for repentance, which the inward spiritual change prompts to perform. If dissolute, he becomes pure; if drunken, sober; if avaricious, liberal; if unjust, righteous; if proud, humble. When Zaccheus was brought to repentance, he rendered restitution for the extortions which he had practised. If sin be not forsaken, if holiness be not cultivated, if Christ be not loved and obeyed,—repentance is not genuine. Every sin, however much cherished, must be given up. Christ's request

is-If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out; if thy right hand or foot offend thee, cut it off. For it is profitable for thee, having only one eye, or hand, or foot, to enter into life, rather than having two eyes, two hands, two feet, to be cast into hell, where their worm never dieth, and the fire is not quenched. 'Except a man deny himself, take up his cross daily, and forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' All sin is abhorred and opposed. It may, indeed, exist, but it has not dominion. It is hated and resisted. If this is not

done, there is not true penitence. The tree is known by its fruit. 'Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.' Ahab seemed to have repentance. He humbled himself. He was clothed in sackcloth. But he did not restore Naboth's vineyard, nor

cease to work

iniquity."

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO REPENTANCE AND ITS NECESSITY.

God

"Many are the encouragements to cherish and manifest repentance. It is what God commands. He has thoughts of peace. He is inclined to show mercy to the sinner. 'God commandeth all men every where to repent.' will readily receive the awakened sinner when he truly returns to him, and when, as the prodigal son, destitute and afflicted, he resolves to go to his father, and confess his error, and plead for mercy. His last resource is the compassion and kindliness of his father. God has given promises to the penitent. To this man will I look, even

to him that is poor and of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my word.' 'If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' 'Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore, my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.' This should encourage to come to God for pardon. The promises are made in Christ. When the sinner receives Christ in faith-which faith is the gift of Godwhen he confides in the sacrifice and righteousness of Christ; then the sins of which he truly repents shall be forgiven. True faith goes with and produces repentance,—and repentance prepares the sinner for exercising the faith which gives him an interest in the redeeming work of Christ, and receives salvation through him. Christ's work is sufficient

to save from all sin. He flees to him for deliverance from sin. He embraces Christ as his propitiation-as his refuge -as his 'all in all.'

"Moreover, the very vilest and guiltiest of sinners have obtained mercy and pardon. Was it not so with Manasseh-the woman who was a sinner-the thief on the cross-Saul of Tarsus-and not a few of those who crucified the Lord of glory. These and such instances shew that no degree of guilt can exclude the sinner, truly penitent, from forgiveness through the blood of Christ.

"True repentance is necessary. For all men are in sin. By their sin they have brought themselves into ruin. They are under curse and condemnation. The sentence pronounced on them is just, and the punishment it embraces will most certainly be inflicted. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.' The sinner in hardness and impenitence of heart cannot approve the salvation of the Gospel, and must, while in this state, come short of salvation. Without repentance there can be no true holiness, and no real meetness for heaven. It is true penitence that fits the heart for cherishing gratitude, contentment, patience, meekness, forgiveness of injuries. These are parts of true holiness; and without true holiness there can be no preparation for heaven. Without holiness no man shall see God.' "Now is the season for repentance. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' To-day is ours. It only is so. Yesterday is gone, and cannot be recovered. To-morrow may find us in eternity. Death cuts down in every age and stage of life. His summons cannot be delayed. It calls from friends, pursuits, pleasures, prospects. It conducts with certainty into the presence of Jehovah Judge. Oh that we did work while it is day, 'for the night cometh when no man can work.' Let us wrestle and pray; ' for we know not either the day or the hour, when the Son of

man cometh.'"

THE RIGHT OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH.

"The Sabbath represents the portion of time that ought to be set apart to cessation from all unnecessary work, and to special religious duties in private, and in public social worship. It embraces the seventh part of time. One day in seven was thus to be wholly and continually given to God in all ages, among all nations. There is no limitation—no exception. The fourth command in the Decalogue is not a Jewish or ceremonial institute merely, though it was proclaimed from Mount Sinai, and placed in special connection with the Mosaic economy. Had it been ceremonial, it would have been abolished by the death of Christ, as were all the other ceremonial parts of that economy. But it takes its rise in the original formation of man, and in the constitution God gave him. And God rested from all his works, and blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.' This must have been, not for himself, but for mankind. It is a positive precept, and involves in it what is moral-the obligation on man to consecrate a special portion of his time to the service of God. There is a moral fitness in it. God's service should be man's main business. Secular interests and

business are apt to engross man. Positive seasons for the special worship of the Supreme Ruler are made in order to break in upon the current of secular employment and secular recreation, and secular thought and device. A fixed time-a fixed proportion of time-seems most conducive to gain the spiritual ends contemplated by the Sabbath rest. Thus it comes to all alike. The one class does not interfere with the other. The general example tends to contribute to the more careful outward observance. There is mutual stimulus and incitement. A seventh part of time appears to be a proportion well adapted to promote and secure the benign ends of the institute. Had the interval between the sacred times been much briefer--or

had there been only an hour or two of a given day thus set apart-then worldly things would have been forced into too near and constant contact with sacred exercises. The mind would not have had opportunity of coming to those sacred times disengaged in any measure from the secularities of the world. A certain distance between the sacred times-as six days—and a certain continuance of time when the sacred period should come as one day-seems best calculated to promote and secure the ends, both physical and spiritual, designed by this ordinance. A longer interval of secular days than six would have given too much prominence to secular business, and been detrimental to the physical constitution of man, as well as contributive to his natural proneness to very deep inconcern about his spiritual and everlasting wellbeing. This arrangement, as it is, shews wisdom and benignity, and a wonderful adaptation to man's condition, and wants, and tendencies."

From her personal "Notes on Books," it would appear that before she had reached her sixteenth year she had read much, embracing history, biography, philosophy, and general literature. Nor had her reading been desultory, as the amount of her information on very many subjects plainly evinced; though, while she read much more than most in her circumstances do, yet she read less than she reflected- -a course she uniformly and earnestly recommended to her pupils. The time devoted to reading was snatched from the hours which should have been given to sleep,-manifesting her ardour and indefatigableness in the pursuit of knowledge.

Maria commenced business in the Millinery Department when in her seventeenth year. This was an important step; and was taken more from a love of independence than an inclination to secular employment, though she ever inveighed against idleness and aimlessness in life. It had its risks and its temptations. She was only merging into womanhood, with